Good Times Boys - Jack Slim Lyrics
Meet Jack Slim, a decent manWho'll always do the best he canAn upright guy, he'll always standIn his home down by the seaAmongst the groves and tupelosFrom boy to man did our Jack growHe never faltered, sinned, or hoedOr lived but righteouslyHe grew up tall and grew up strongAn honest man, knew right from wrongHe tended fields and studied longHow proud we were of heTo but one party he did goAnd there's the Devil with seeds to sowA poisoned soul that didn't knowThe bane that was on heHer eyes were black, as was her hairAnd in the light, just standing thereShe caught Jack's eye without a careJack Slim, the fool to beNow hear the bells of bronze and steelRinging out the coming illsOf a man I'd rather killThan see suffer endlesslyInto the home of Jack she cameHer kith and kin, drunk and insaneThe broke just damn near everythingTo stay for good was their true aimJack's wife's bed always hotAll the town did have their shotThe football team, the team's mascotAll comers came and came a lotJack walked round with grinding teethTo yell or scream or cry beneathHis subtle pride and courtesyTested hard and frequentlyOne foul day, our Jack just snappedAnd kicked the sorry bums and thatOut his door without a chatTo the road down by the seaThe wife, she didn't take this wellTold him to go to straight to hellAn evil man with a sulfur smellOh hate old Jack did sheShe took their boy and ran awayTo a slick-haired shark who was the manTo lay the blame and lend and a handTo the sinners by the seaOpposite the judge old Jack stoodStaring down, knowing no goodCould come from souls who harbor hateFor an honest man as heHe lost his house. He lost his heartLost all he earned or cared aboutHis boy was gone and he was outOf luck or love or gleeNow Jack lives inside a tentNo money left for food or rentThe homeless man's already spentKeeping Johnny Law at bayOne day Jack woke with an aching headHis gums bled; his face was redHe wept a little and then said, “I think this will kill me”No money for a doctor's tripJack took an awl and placed the tipAgainst his rotting tooth, his rotting toothHe hammered once. He hammered twiceLet out a scream that wasn't niceThe tooth was stuck like dirt in iceAnd stayed just where it wasSo into town stumbled our JackHe found a gun inside a sackIn the sheriff's car parked way out backBehind the country clubHe took that gun and stole a knifeIntent on taking his own lifeTo put an end to all his strifeAnd die just painlesslyHe placed the gun against his headThinking he would soon be deadAs would his miseryHe pulled the gunBut the gun misspokeThe knife shattered and the bullet brokeWhat a poor and sad unlucky blokeIn his cave down by the seaSo finally Jack made a planAnd took the gun inside his handApproached my boat just like a manWho was going out to seaGoing out to seaFrom the dock, concrete and rocksA few large chains and extra locksHeavy stuff I've not forgotAnd a bucket made of ironHe waved the gun and out we went“I'll surely die, from this earth sent”I said to myselfI said to me“Old man, I mean you no harm”“Please don't fear, don't be alarmed”“Your life I'll spare despite my arms”“Back home you soon will be”Further out we went and wentPast the buoys and all the scentsOf life and libertyAnd libertyInto the bucket Jack's feet wentThe concrete followed and I sensedThat death that day wasn't meant for meAround his waist he chained the rocksSecured them tight with all the locksAnd then he ordered that I stopAnd turned his back to me“Mother, please invite me home”“Your son's tired, no wish to roam”“Any way away from thee”“Away from thee”Without another word Jack divedBut soon righted to upward sideFrom the concrete at his feetThe bubbles, they stopped soon enoughAnd I could breath when Jack could notAs he sank into the seaInto the seaNow he rests far down belowOne thousand fathoms deep or soWith fish for company, for companyI looked and saw a storm approachAnd aimed my girl for harbor closeBut glancing up I saw the coastAnd Jack's house by the seaJack's house down by the sea
